Jazz history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jazz history - Essay Example While not specifically ‘jazz’ in the strictest sense, W.C. Handy’s contribution to bringing to blues to mainstream acclaim is well-documented. For his role in recording and popularizing what had previously been regional southern music, Handy is now referred to as the ‘Father of the Blues’. While ‘Memphis Blues’ is not Handy’s most famous recording (that honor belongs to ‘St. Louis Blues’), it perhaps has the most interesting story. The song was originally titled ‘Mr. Crump’ to criticize a local politician, but was actually adopted by that same politician to promote his campaign. Three years later the song was given different lyrics, and its name was changed to ‘Memphis Blues.’ In organizing the Clef Club, a ragtime band of assorted musicians, in 1912 James Reese Europe became the first proto-jazz band to perform at Carnegie Hall. In 1913 Europe became involved with a ballroom dancing group named the Castles. Europe’s musical accompaniments to the Castle’s ballroom dancing helped break racial barriers within the United States and Europe, and their recordings by the Victor label made them, along with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s works, some of the earliest known jazz recordings. No comprehensive history of early jazz recordings would be complete without including the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band are well-known as the first recorded jazz artists, beginning with their 1917 song ‘Livery Stable Blues’. While ‘Tiger Rag’ wasn’t the first recorded song, many critics regard it as their most popular.